New England Patriots

Ryan Fitzpatrick said DeVante Parker ‘stepped up big’ against Stephon Gilmore

The Dolphins defeated the Patriots, 27-24, in the regular season finale.

Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Miami Dolphins smiles as he leaves the field after defeating the Patriots 27-24. Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

By Deyscha Smith

3 minutes to read

For Ryan Fitzpatrick, the 2019 NFL season ended on a celebratory note.

“Coming into New England and winning a game in New England is no small task,” the Dolphins’ quarterback said after beating the Patriots, 27-24, on Sunday. “I’ve seen that first hand lots of times with four years in Buffalo, two years with New York. I know how difficult it is to beat them, how difficult it really is to beat them at home. I’m proud of what we did out there today and hopefully with this win, we’re going to have a great plane ride home and we’ll go from there.”

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Fitzpatrick, who was 28-of-41 and threw for 320 yards and a touchdown, praised his team for “stepping up” against a solid Patriots defense. He specifically highlighted the matchup between wide receiver DeVante Parker and cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

Fitzpatrick said Parker, who finished with eight catches for 137 yards, held his own against Gilmore.

“Steph is a special player, has been all year and has been for years now. For me, as a quarterback, I’m always going to rely on my playmakers – DeVante has been that guy all year long. There were a couple that maybe I didn’t get in there [and] make the throw, and Steph did a good job with, but I wasn’t going to shy away from a matchup. Not because I don’t respect the other guy, but because I have that much confidence in our guy. DeVante really stepped up big today.”

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Gilmore, on the other hand, felt like he let his team down. According to NextGen Stats, Parker caught seven of nine targets for 119 yards with Gilmore covering him — the most yards and receptions Gilmore has given up since joining the Patriots in 2017. 

“I feel like I let 52 players down today,” Gilmore said after the game.

Fitzpatrick, however, had complete faith in his offensive unit – from Parker to wide receiver Isaiah Ford.

“As a quarterback, when you have guys that you trust and know they’re going to do the right thing [and] make the right play – makes your job a lot easier. All those guys out there have certainly developed into that this year, and again, I said this the last few weeks about Isaiah Ford. He’s a special guy, guy that you can just rely on in any situation. He did a great job today.”

Fitzpatrick was happy to see his team rise to the challenge against the Patriots.

“I was kind of happy they took the lead rather than tie it up,” he said. “Then it was really all on us to go down there and score a touchdown or not. Great situation to be in, with a lot on the line for them and for us — not as much on the line, but the pride and all the things that we’ve worked through this year. There was a tie on the line for us, too, and I’m proud of the way we played [and] coached today. Sometimes you don’t get rewarded, but this was a big reward for the guys that stuck with it all year.”

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Although the outcome of the game wouldn’t send Miami to the playoffs, Fitzpatrick feels like his team was successful.

“It’s been a season full of adversity, but that’s what makes it all worth it. People can say whatever they want about not making the playoffs and our record, but to me, this was such a successful, great season and the fact that we had so much adversity and overcame it, stuck together, those are the things you get from football and team sports that are hard to get anywhere else. That’s a lot of the reason why I love this game so much.”

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